Peaky Blinders Team "Devastated," "Forever Grateful" for Sam Neill
· BCPosted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: peaky blinders, Sam Neil
Peaky Blinders Team "Devastated," "Forever Grateful" for Sam Neill
The Peaky Blinders team is "devastated" by Sam Neill's death, adding they will be "forever grateful" to him for what he brought to the show.
Published Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:08:08 -0500
by Ray Flook
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Article Summary
- Sam Neill has died at 78, with his family sharing that the beloved film and TV star passed away suddenly in Sydney.
- The Peaky Blinders team said they are devastated by Sam Neill’s death and forever grateful for all he brought to the series.
- Sam Neill’s Chester Campbell was hailed as a standout Peaky Blinders villain: charismatic, funny, cruel, and unforgettable.
- Peaky Blinders credited Sam Neill as a key force in launching the drama, sending love and condolences to his family.
Overnight, the heartbreaking news broke that award-winning actor Sam Neill, the star of film and television projects that shaped pop culture for five decades, had passed away at 78. "It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia. Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life," read the statement on Neil's official Instagram account, breaking the news. "The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free. They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent's Private Hospital for their incredible care. More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss."
As the world continues waking up to the tragic news, the production team behind Peaky Blinders has released a statement, sharing how "devastated" they are by Neill's death. "We are devastated to hear that Sam Neill has died. Sam's portrayal of Chester Campbell is one for the ages. A villain who is despicable, petty, manipulative, but also charismatic, vulnerable, funny, and supremely entertaining to watch," the statement read. "Sam was one of the key forces that got Peaky Blinders off to a running start, for which we will be forever grateful. Our love and thoughts are with his family." Over the run of the show's first two seasons, Neill portrayed the ruthlessly intense Inspector Chester Campbell, charged with purging Birmingham of organized crime.
Here's a look at the official statement released by the Peaky Blinders team on Monday morning:
In Netflix and Steven Knight's upcoming 1950s-set Peaky Blinders series, a decade after World War Two, the race to rebuild Birmingham becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. This is a city of unprecedented opportunity and jeopardy. At its blood-soaked heart is Duke Shelby (Jamie Bell): older, wiser, more ambitious, and most certainly more dangerous. Having fought a violent war, much of it behind enemy lines, Charles Shelby (Charlie Heaton) is now embracing normality. He hasn't seen his half-brother Duke in years. Charles severed all ties to the Peaky Blinders gang and the hedonistic Shelby lifestyle. But can you ever escape your own blood?
Joining Bell and Heaton are Ned Dennehy and Packy Lee, reprising their roles as Charlie Strong and Johnny Dogs, respectively. In addition, new members of the gang include Samuel Bottomley, Arturo Muselli, Eugene Collins, and Lucie Shorthouse – joining the series as Eliot, Angelo, Frank, and Kezia Lee, respectively. Conleth Hill (Game of Thrones) has been tapped for the role of Clemmy Keeler, the head of the rival Keeler gangster family. In addition, Cal O'Driscoll is set as Clemmy's son, Aidan Keeler, and Daniel Monks is on board as Detective Inspector Bell. The series also stars Jessica Brown Findlay (Harlots, Downton Abbey), Lashana Lynch (The Day of the Jackal, No Time to Die), and Lucy Karczewski (Stereophonic) in her television debut.
Produced by Banijay UK's Kudos (SAS Rogue Heroes, House of Guinness) and Garrison Drama (Peaky Blinders series 1-6, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man) for the BBC and Netflix, the new series is being filmed in and around Digbeth Loc. Studios in Birmingham. Production for the two new series of Peaky Blinders is supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and is the first commission following the new BBC partnership agreement with the WMCA and Create Central to expand BBC and partner production investment in the West Midlands. The series is set for BBC One and BBC IPlayer in the UK, and Netflix globally.
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